Slipknot's Clown: 'None of Us Want to Record an Album Right Now'

Although he recently commented that the Iowa metallers are planning a major 2014 return, Slipknot percussionist Shawn "Clown" Crahan now admitted that the band still isn't quite able to cope with the death of bassistPaul Gray.
While talking about the group's upcoming Download festival performance, Crahan also discussed being reluctant to enter the studio without the late bassist.
"We're in a new circumstance," the percussionist told Metal Hammer. "We're in a situation that we never planned on, which is the travesty of losing our brother, so none of us want to record an album right now well, I can only speak for myself, but I don't want to walk into a studio and not see my brother."I'm not ready for that," he continued. "I'm not ready to commit to music and not see him there, knowing that he was the biggest part of the music writing. I need a little more time. I need to be able to go in there and think, 'What would Paul do?' Let's represent him as a band, think like he would and bring him into this."
Crahan then pointed out that although the group needs more time, things are still looking up for Slipknot.
"So we need a little more time, but what's great is that we're all a little older now and everybody knows what everyone else is doing. But the fact that Jim [Root] and Corey [Taylor], who have a new Stone Sour record, are willing to do a Slipknot show ... that's just love. That's respect for themselves and respect for the band. Were all a family now and we're all doing the best for each other."
Frontman Corey Taylor also made a recent statement confirming that "it's time" for Slipknot to make a comeback. "Now that we're all kind of in better places in our lives and whatnot, it's making it a little easier to be excited about it again," he told the Pulse of Radio. "It's just starting to feel like it's time."
The latest Slipknot studio effort, "All Hope Is Gone," came out in 2008 via Roadrunner/ Nuclear Blast Records. As the band's fourth record, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with just under 240,000 copies sold in the US within the first week.

WTF!? So since Paul died, Corey has been holding them up, and everyone else pretty much just waited for him to be ready, and now that he's done, clown suddenly starts moaning about it, although he has been all in for it until now.

Interestingly on Metal Hammers facebook page they have a link to an interview with the clown, and it says: "Clown tells us at Download that a new 'Knot album is coming next year!" WTF UG!? Who writes these articles.

Remember the articles soon after Paul Gray's death? Every day the decision of "The band" changed, I want each of their own bloody opinions of what's going on, not 1 person speaking for the whole band, it is literally a Grey area on yes or no : P

It seems to me that they're scared of making another album because Paul was actually a huge part of the writing process, which puzzles me because Jim comes up with some great riffs in Stone Sour, maybe he can't write riffs for Slipknot but there's still 7 of them left that can contribute.

I'm pretty sure that in the voliminal DVD they released, one of them said that the band wouldn't be the same if someone died and they would call it time. Pretty sure it was Joey.
I'd love to see them record some more new stuff, but they really need to actually sort out whats going on first. It's tragic for them to lose such a close friend but it's been the same news story regurgitated for a long time now - "I'm not ready yet". Do it or don't, just stop saying maybe!

You people need to lighten up.
People have always wondered about Slipknot since Paul died; and it's been 5 years. It's not like 5 years makes it any easier...to those who have lost a close person in their lives, 5 years ebbs and flows and can feel like 5 minutes or 50 years.
Shawn, Corey, and the gang know what's best for them and Slipknot. I'm looking forward to a return too, but I'm not going to lambast Shawn for speaking his feelings about a very tragic loss. If they make a come back in 2014, they do. If they don't, they don't.

Sensationalists! Lets tell something about how there's nothing really happening right here! Just leave em alone and talk to them when the album drops, after they're ready for it and willing to make music again.

It's unprofessional, and they're lucky they're high profile enough to sit on their laurels. Do you think an average person can miss work when their brother dies, coming in maybe one day every week for a year with the excuse that he's grieving? Hell no, he'd be fired in a minute, and I bet if Slipknot wasn't able to get by playing only a handful of sold out shows every year, they would've already released a new album and started touring for it. They're allowed to grieve, they're allowed to feel the loss, but there's a limit.

I hope that when they do release an album, it's as good as Volume 3. All Hope is Gone was boring. Maybe this long layoff will actually be beneficial to the music, and hopefully they find someone who can fill in on bass and with songwriting.

People are so ****ing whiny and ungrateful. Theyll make one when they feel like it, grow a set and deal with it. Time doesnt start and stop based on your commands. If they werent ready, theyd release a half assed albums, and people would complain about that too.

I know different people grieve and respond to death in different ways, but there's been a few rock deaths in the past few years and they kept going.
This sounds cliche, but what would Paul want? Would he really want them to still be grieving or wouldn't he want them to keep going strong? I honestly think that if they made an album it would do them a lot of good in terms of healing. It may be painful, but I think that once they do it they'll see they can.

I think Joey begs to differ, he's started that new side project because Slipknot has been doing **** all. I'd also like to hear from the other guys like Mick or Chris, since it's always Corey or Clown being the spokesperson for the entire band.

It annoys me the way people react as though these guys have driven themselves to the magazine to make a statement.
These guys are in public, or at some kind of musical event, and someone asks about Slipknot. What are they supposed to say? Just what's on their mind at that point in time.
It'd be weird if they said the same thing every day individually.

ah cmon! its gonna be four years when you guys come back. i miss paul grey too but you guys need to move on otherwise your gonna lose the hopes of your fans. if they dont make an album in 2014 then they should just quit

Avenged Sevenfold lost their drummer, Jimmy, in 2009. The vocalist, Matt, had grown up with Jimmy "The Rev" since the beginning of grade school. Yet they finished the album that The Rev had worked on and toured with it the following year. It's undeniably difficult to deal with the loss of a true, life long friend and family member. But if Slipknot wants to honor Paul's memory it should be sooner rather than later. I'm sure Paul would've wanted them to make music and continue on enjoying life without him.

I wish Paul was still here to kick Joey in his tiny balls for playing guitar in that shit band. other than that. Whoknot? :/ Corey has gone mental for starters. I recall him standing on stage, and telling the world David Silvera was a stupid **** and is systematically ruining "metal" because he was to be fair, in good physical shape and scored an advert for underwear as a male model.
Now Corey is talking about doing acoustic setlists with Justin Bieber.
just accept it. Unless you are 12 right now and just discovered Iowa, IT'S FUCKING OVER. We've all grown up... even that clown.

these guys should really have a chat with deftones, they lost chi and they are still chugging on, corey is ready now and other band members are still at that state of mind? i mean common, we all loose people, not moving on is the worst thing anyone can ever do

Holy shit you aren't the first ones to lose a band member, just as a quick example that comes to mind is Metallica, yet they kept on going, get the **** over it, everyone does sooner or later with a loved one's death.

I understand but if they're gonna be like this they should probably take a break for a while then have a reunion again in a few years... Either way, I'm hoping for a new slipknot record in 2014 of some sort. They have a lot of song demos that still haven't seen daylight that were written by Paul. I'd like to hear them.

I'm guessing we won't see another Slipknot album until the next 5 to 10 years. Seriously we may as well treat this as if Tool was making an album. Lets just hope we won't have to wait 15 years like Chinese Democracy.

I use to like this band. But then I noticed that they are never happy. Look at other metal acts and they laugh and have a good time when interviewing, Slipknot just seems to put the dread and darkness on thick.